"How did God think of this?"

As I am sure I have mentioned to some of you, we have been doing a little science experiment at the Dickerson house. Annie and I raised some butterflies! It was as easy as buying a milkweed plant. The monarch butterflies laid their eggs on the plant and we had 16 caterpillars to feed--we could not believe it. They grew very fast and all but one survived despite Annie playing with them all the time. Every day she would remind me, "mommy, I better go check on the caterpillars." She was very serious about taking care of those little guys. The milkweed plants looked dead at one point because there were no more leaves to eat--they were bare, so Annie, Hudson and I had to make an emergency run to get another plant. As I was waiting in line, Hudson trying to squirm out of my arms and Annie begging to pick flowers from the plants at the nursery, the woman in front of me in line warned me to watch out for caterpillars because they would eat my plant....I just smiled and said, "that's what we are hoping for!" Annie loved the caterpillars and said that they tickled her when she let them crawl on her. We built a little home for the caterpillars and waited for them to chrysalis, then two weeks later, we came home from a weekend in San Antonio and had a cage full of beautiful monarch butterflies! The butterfly cannot fly for about two hours after it breaks out of its chrysalis, so Annie and I were able to hold them and watch each one fly away. One butterfly had a torn wing and could not fly. Annie was very concerned... When Annie held the butterflies, she just giggled with excitement, and I can attest that it really does tickle when they crawl on your arm. We had so much fun and I think even Annie marveled in how amazing a butterfly's life is. You just have to ask yourself, "how did God think of this?"

Seven of the butterflies waiting to fly...

The first butterfly to spread its wings rested on our seago palm for a while...

Of course throughout this month-long project, we have spent weeks reading every book in the library about butterflies and catepillars, and worn out one of Annie's favorite books, Fancy Nancy Bonjour Butterfly. We have countless butterfly paintings and drawings. She has learned so much about butterflies, I can't believe she remembers it all! My point is, it was so easy--just buy a milkweed plant and the butterflies will come--no matter what age, your family will love it too! Its just another way to be awed by God's creation...